User:Scipiobaker/Charles Baker

Reverend Charles Baker (1803 - 1875) was a lay minister and member of the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S.) in New Zealand in the early and middle 19th century, and one the first Europeans to be fluent in the Maori language.

Early Life
Charles Baker was born in Packington Leicestershire, Great Britain, and was trained in agricultural and industrial pursuits. Upon the death of his first wife, he entered the C.M.S. College at Islington. He married his second wife Hannah and left for New Zealand. He left Dorcas Sophia Baker the only child from his first marriage with family in the UK, but she was to come out to New Zealand in 1836.

Initial work in New Zealand
With his second wife Mrs. Hannah Baker, he landed at the Bay of Islands on 9 June, 1828. He was stationed first at Kerikeri and then at Paihia.

The building of the historic church in Russell was due to the efforts of Charles Baker, and was probably completed in late 1834, or early 1835.

On Christmas Day, 1835, Charles Darwin (the eminent naturalist) and Captain FitzRoy (of H.M.S. Beagle and, later, successor to Governor Hobson) attended a service conducted by Mr. Baker and made donations towards the cost of the church.

Later, Mr Baker had the first printing press in New Zealand at his house at the Paihia Mission station.

In 1853 he was ordained as a Deacon and was finally ordained into the priesthood in 1860.

The Treaty of Waitangi
In the temporary absence of the Rev. H. Williams. Charles Baker played a not unimportant part in making the arrangements ashore for the proclamation of British sovereignty over New Zealand. Lieutenant-Governor Hobson requested him to have copies printed of an invitation to the chiefs to meet him, and arranged with him to send messengers to deliver them. He also sought permission to use the church on the occasion of the reading of the official documents relating to his appointment, etc.

(Note: Much more information exists on the part he played in the events preceding and during the Treaty signing.)

Waikare (1840-42)
Rev Baker was stationed as a missionary at Waikiare from 1840 to 1842.

Tolaga Bay (1843-51)
Archdeacon Williams, who initially was in sole charge of missionary work on the East Coast of the North Island, wrote on May 15th, 1843, that in August, 1842, it had been decided that Mr. C. Baker, who had been at Waikare, Bay of Islands, should be placed at Tolaga Bay (See here.)

Whilst he was at Tolaga Bay his family of nine was increased on 11 April, 1843, by the birth of a son, Henry Williams, who might have been the first Caucasian boy born at Uawa, and on 3 September, 1844, by the arrival of another daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth, who might have been the first Caucasian girl born there.

Rangitukia (1854-57)
Rev Baker continued his missionary work when stationed at Rangitukia, in 1854-57.

Tauranga/Te Papa (1860 - 63)
In 1860 Mr. Baker and the Rev. E. B. Clarke were stationed at Tauranga, where Rev Baker occupied a villa at the Te Papa mission station. In late 1862/early 1863, they had to leave when the local tribes began to openly sympathise with the Waikato rebels.

One of his sons, Willian B. Baker, again occupied the villa in January 1864, when he was quartered there as Interpreter and Boarding Officer to the British Army forces who had just arrived.

Auckland
Returning to Auckland, Mr. Baker paid regular visits to the stockades, the gaol, and the hospital and to the hulks on which rebel prisoners were being detained. He died on the 6th of February, 1875. Charles and Hannah's and other family members graves can be seen at Saint Stephan's Church Parnell.